The Development Of Child Care Centres
For many years the Diocese of Mpika has been actively involved in initiating and developing many projects connected to education, health and social matters.
The Home Based Care (HBC) programme was introduced in 2001 to face issues resulting from HIV and AIDS. The programme focuses on caring for the orphans and vulnerable children and providing educational support to the day care centres.
In 2008, the parishioners of the new parish of St Mary’s, aware of the needs of the vulnerable children in the community, initiated a programme to assist the children.
There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children – Nelson Mandela
How We Became Involved
In August 2008, Fr Robert Lavertu (Missionaries of Africa), who was the Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Mpika at that time, accompanied his long-time friends Elizabeth and Diego Dotti to the new parish at Nakonde. Impressed and inspired by the commitment of everyone involved, they proposed constructing a new building to be used as the Children’s Care Centre.
Diego drew up the plan and gradually funds were collected among family and friends to contribute to the construction of the centre. Finally, in January 2012, the building was completed.
In 2013, tragically Diego passed away.
In 2014, Tom and Caitriona Hughes joined forces with Elizabeth to continue assisting the centre. Elizabeth, Tom and Caitriona had lived and worked at Lwitikila Girls Secondary School, Mpika, in the early-mid 1970s. Elizabeth and Diego met in Mpika in 1976.
In 2015, Tom, Caitriona and Elizabeth – all three from Northern Ireland though Elizabeth lives in Italy – returned to Zambia and visited the centre at St Mary’s, Nakonde.
In 2021 their plan to return to Nakonde had to be postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. They eventually went back in May 2022.
How The Centre Evolved
January 2012 – 2021
Even though primary school education in Zambia is free, children are expected to wear a uniform and contribute in a very small way to the running of the school. However, for many guardian families these additional costs are often too much and as a result many children stop going to school. For this reason the centre decided to provide primary school education for grades one and two as well as a preschool class.
Due to lack of space and funds, we were unable to take on more classes.
From grade 3 the children moved into the local government schools. We continued to keep an eye on them as best we could.
During 2020, because of the COVID-19 situation, our children had to stay at home for many months. Not only did their education suffer but also their health, as they were unable to benefit from their daily meal at the centre.
During the academic year, from January to December, 2021 we were educating and feeding 64 orphans, 33 girls and 31 boys. We continued to financially support a number of children who had moved on to the government school.